LEWISTOWN — Food donations were being accepted on Thursday at the 4H Food Booth in Lewistown in support of those affected by the devastating wildfire in Denton.
Denton was evacuated on Wednesday after a fast-moving wildfire swept across the town. While there were no serious injuries reported, the fire destroyed or damaged many structures, including grain elevators and a bridge.
"Extreme winds caused the fire to enter the town of Denton. The wind not only spread the fire, it spread ash, embers, smoke and debris throughout town. Spot fires erupted between homes, vehicles and other buildings which pushed resources beyond their limits. Travel and visibility were very difficult. The weather also prohibited aircraft support which added to the problem," Fergus County DES posted on Facebook.
A donation drive was quickly underway as 4H Program Assistant Jennifer Saunders, in collaboration with Fergus County Disaster & Emergency Services, coordinated food donation efforts.
“We organized meals for those who have been evacuated to the Civic Center in Lewistown. We will continue to feed the fire crews and the families that are misplaced. We hope that the fire is out, but there is going to be a lot of support needed for a good period of time," she said."
Here are some other ways you can help:
- 406 Gives: Monetary donations are now being accepted for the West Wind/ Denton Fire. ALL proceeds will go to support firefighting efforts and local home, business and ranch recovery. If you would like to donate by cash or check, you may leave donations at Stockman Bank or mail to Montana Winter Fair, PO Box 931, Lewistown, MT 59457. Checks should be made out to Montana Winter Fair with West Wind/ Denton Fire in the memo area. Please do not mail cash. Click here if you would like to donate.
- Alicia Rutz has created a GoFundMe. It states: "A large fire is sweeping across this beautiful community and it’s still not contained, many homes and businesses have been lost and we need your help. It all adds up, so any amount you are willing to give will make a difference. Let’s rally together as a State and show Denton we are here!" Click here if you would like to donate.
- Opportunity Bank of Montana has created the Denton Fire Relief Fund with an initial deposit of $2,500 and an additional $5,000 in matching donations to benefit victims and evacuees. Checks can be made payable to the Denton Fire Relief Fund and mailed to the bank at PO Box 1047, Denton, MT, or accepted at any Opportunity Bank branch statewide. Funds will be distributed through non-profit agencies directly to victims with immediate needs.
- The Montana Winter Fair website has information about monetary and other donations - click here for details.
The Fergus County Sheriff’s Office on Thursday released a list of properties that were destroyed in Denton; a more thorough assessment will be forthcoming at a later time.
- 1210 Buena Vista
- 600 Main St 700 Lehman
- 610 Main St 701 Lehman
- 612 Main St 702 Lehman
- 616 Main St 703 Lehman
- 618 Main St 706 Lehman
- 716 Main St 710 Lehman
- 804 Lehman 815 Lehman
- 819 Lehman 910 Lehman
- 305 Railroad Ave 505 Railroad Ave
- 205 Keirstad 207 Keirstad
- 209 Keirstad 211 Keirstad
- 201 Ketchner 505 Ketchner
People who have been displaced due to the loss of their house, can contact the American Red Cross at 1-800-272-6668 or stop by the Civic Center 309 5th Avenue South in Lewistown. People can also call the Salvation Army at 406-366-2982 or 206-280-9787.
